How Gen-Z Can Balance Minimalism And Materialism

Minimalism, materialism, the life-changing magic of the container store. Gen-Z are drowning in competing schools of thought arguing over how and where we should live, rarely to our benefit and usually to sell us something.

In my life, the refining of my space, my home, has been an undertaking that does not have an end, reflective of my mindset and my comfort. I've ditched my desk for a larger couch, and I have cabinets and shelves for my books and hobbies. But I also host some family carpets, a few chests and other collected items that I will not or cannot dispose of - a few prayer rugs rolled up until I have the space to hang them properly, some artwork I have the space to hang but need frames to hang, but first I need the money and financial peace of mind to buy said frames.

I don't find any of this to be unique to us and our age group, but there are options. I'm by no means a hoarder, but I'm a writer and I buy far more books than I read cover-to-cover and consult when I need to. I also ditched Google for a not-for-profit search engine - and my hobbies tend to spread out before I'm forced to clean and tidy before I have company. I'm a bit eclectic though, so there's always books or paints or something going on in the kitchen.

If you're a minimalist, you are seeking that far end of the spectrum from me. For the same reason a fullness to my space adds to my comfort and the coziness of it all, a minimalist might reject clutter and prefer the ease of few items. I could have a smaller couch, a single table, an e-reader instead of all my books, a twin bed instead of a king, and so on with all my clothes and dishes, and only ever eat one meal or never cook at all.

Within that clean space, order and a sort of domination of the space is made easier by the individual. Where my home is an extension of myself, and like I search my mind to do my work I also must search my space, while others seek to know all and have all in close reach.

It takes work to do all these things, to maintain these standards we put on ourselves, and just like I have to be careful not to have or lose too much, someone on that minimalist wing of the spectrum might be vigilant about how their space is filled.

But what are we signalling with these things? Is to have things to always equate to success? With the digitisation and personalisation of life, where a human can be socially and politically bionic and alone; their money, life and work existing entirely online and reliant only on their abilities - by being 'minimal', do you show how advanced and futuristic you are? Or do you simply show how alone you are?

Are minimal spaces not cold? But are eclectic spaces not crowded? I seek balance, as do many, but I also prefer and joy my space when it is in an equilibrium of chaos and order, because for my work, chaos outside of myself benefits the order I need within to write, edit, read and research, from my work to my hobbies to my artistic and creative pursuits.

Seek balance. Who knows what the future holds, and if nothing else Gen-Z are deserving of comfort in our spaces however we can find it.

MENAFN07082025000049011007ID1109900149